PREDICTION OF DANGEROUSNESS AS A FUNCTION OF ITS PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES

• NCJ Number: 19284
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1974) Pages: 239-242
• Author(s): J MONAHAN; L CUMMINGS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDY WHICH EVALUATED ONE OF THE FACTORS HYPOTHESIZED TO ACCOUNT FOR PSYCHIATRIST/PSYCHOLOGIST OVER-PREDICTION OF VIOLENT CRIME-DIFFERENTIAL CONSEQUENCES TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE VIOLENCE IS BEING PREDICTED.

Abstract

SUBJECTS WERE PRESENTED WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN JUDGED BY PSYCHIATRISTS TO INDICATE DANGEROUSNESS. IN ONE CONDITION, SUBJECTS WERE TOLD THAT A PREDICTION OF DANGEROUSNESS WOULD LEAD TO ANOTHER'S MENTAL HOSPITALIZATION AND IN ANOTHER CONDITION THEY WERE TOLD THAT SUCH PREDICTION WOULD LEAD TO A PRISON SENTENCE. THE RESULTS SUPPORTED THE HYPOTHESIS THAT PREDICTIONS OF DANGEROUSNESS ARE AT LEAST IN PART A FUNCTION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PREDICTION: SUBJECTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO PREDICT DANGEROUSNESS IF THE PREDICTION WOULD LEAD TO HIS MENTAL HOSPITALIZATION THAN IF IT WOULD LEAD TO IMPRISONMENT. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)